Just Between You and Me
by sTILL-wRITING
Summary: Manny begins to write secret emails to Craig.
1. From Smileygurl to WiltedRose

**A/n: This story has been on here for a while, but I wanted to change a few things (like undedicated this to a certain boy whom I no longer like or love). It's kinda old, but one of my best stories. Wanted to edit a few things to it anyway.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters from Degrassi, only this story idea.**

**Just Between You and Me**

**Chapter 1: Smileygurl to WiltedRose**

Manny sat on the steps of Degrassi Community School, sad, lonely, and depressed. It was a perfectly good Friday afternoon, and what was she doing? Thinking about life and love. It was the six-month anniversary of the day her and Craig went out. Then he'd dumped her that Monday.

She tried to talk to Emma about it, but how could she? Emma was too busy talking about Sean. She closed her eyes and thought back.

"_I'm sorry, Manny, it's not the locker I don't like...it's you." Manny stood there silent, trying her hardest not to cry._

"_I uh... have to go, bye." He left her there, just as the first of many tears slowly rolled down her cheek._

Manny opened her eyes to find Ashley and Craig walking towards her.

"Oh great." She muttered under her breath and began to gather her belongings.

"Manny, hey." Craig said overly cheerful. Manny looked up at Craig's plastered on grin, and then down at Craig's hand, which was entwined in Ashley's.

"Hey." She said coldly and began to walk towards home. Ashley gave Craig a worried look.

"Is she alright?" She asked. Craig shrugged.

"I don't know, I think it has something to do with me. Emma says Manny hasn't talked much since, you know." Ashley nodded.

"Alright, enough about her, let's go somewhere."

"Where to, milady?"

Manny quickly turned on her computer and got on to the 'net when she got home. If not anything else, her computer helped her express all her emotions.

"Hurry up!" Manny commanded waiting impatiently as her computer connected to the Internet.

"Finally." She said as she checked her email. 10 new messages!

**Sparklespaz- Hey Manny**

**Sparklespaz- Manny?**

**Sparklespaz- Manny, u there?**

**Sparklespaz- Manny, we need to talk!**

**Whocares- Manny, Emma wants to talk**

**Sparklespaz- Manny **

**Sparklespaz- re: Leave me alone**

**Sparklespaz- No subject2**

**Sparklespaz- No subject**

**OverXposed- Hey u**

The last one caught her attention immediately.

"Craig." She clicked on his message.

_Manny, hey, it's Craig. I just wanted to see how you were doing. I haven't seen you in a while, ("Gee, I wonder why?" asked Manny sarcastically), I really like you Manny, as a friend, and I'm sorry if I hurt you. Gotta go._

_-Craig_

Manny sighed and deleted the message. Then, she got an idea; she quickly logged off her screename and created a new one. WiltedRose. She thought for a moment and then wrote Craig.

_OverXposed,_

_You may not know me_

_But I know you_

_Only you can make me do things_

_I thought I could never do_

_I love your smile_

_You different style_

_I know of your struggles_

_And of your pain_

_I know all about you_

_You couldn't say the same_

_Until next time_

Look around the halls 

_Look at what you see_

_Let's just keep this between you and me_

_-WR_

Manny pushed the SEND button before she could stop herself.

"WiltedRose, I like that." She said and went to downstairs to eat dinner.


	2. Secrets I Must Keep

**Just Between You and Me**

The next day Manny made herself purposely late for school. She hadn't really talked to Emma in a really long time. Emma kept emailing her, and Manny kept deleting the messages. She'd been coming late to school for the past month or so, just to avoid Emma, and of course Craig.

"Ms. Santos, you're late, again." Ms. Kwan said crossly.

"Sorry, Ms. Kwan, I had to--"

"We'll talk after class." Manny sighed and walked to her seat behind Emma.

"Manny, why aren't you talking to me?" Emma whispered. Manny rolled her eyes.

"Just, leave me alone. Em, you wouldn't understand."

"I would if you'd just--"

"Ms. Nelson, would you please turn around, I know talking with Ms. Santos is much more interesting than me talking about our reading assignments, but if you don't mind, I'd like all my students to at least pretend to be interested."

"Sorry Ms. Kwan."

"Yes you should be." Manny smiled. Ms. Kwan was the meanest of mean teachers, but she had some good comebacks.

"Hey Craig." Ashley said, sitting next to him at the lunch table. Craig nodded and began to read a piece of paper.

"What's that?" Ashley asked curiously, wonder what had suddenly caught Craig's attention.

"Did you email me last night?" He asked. Ashley shook her head no.

"Why?"

"No reason." Craig said stuffing the paper in his pocket.

A few tables away, Manny was watching Craig and Ashley. Ashley seemed to be trying to get a piece of paper out of Craig's pocket, but Craig wouldn't let her.

"I bet it's my email." She said out loud.

"What email?" Manny jumped. She turned around to find Paige and Hazel looking at her funny.

"Nothing, nothing. What's up?" She asked.

"Oh, we've changed the Spirit Squads practice days. Now we're Tuesdays at 3:15, Thursdays at 3:30, and Friday, at 3:15. Here's a schedule." Paige said handing two pink papers to Manny.

"Give the other to Oscar, we couldn't find him, and we have more important things to do than look for him." And with that they walked away.

Manny, once again focused her attention on Craig, he was now alone. Ashley must have stormed off while she was talking to Paige. Craig had her email out again.

When she got home, she immediately got on the Internet and checked her email. **1 new message!**

_Wilted,_

_Do I know you? Do you go to Degrassi? Are you in my grade? What's your name?_

_-Craig_

Manny smiled. She'd gotten his attention. She quickly thought of another poem.

_**OverXposed**_

_**I've gotten your attention**_

_**That's good you see**_

_**Because, you've sort of**_

_**Noticed me**_

_**You've seen me around**_

_**From time to time**_

_**If you must know**_

_**I'm in grade nine**_

_**My name is different**_

_**My name is unique**_

_**But all I can tell you is**_

_**My love for you is deep**_

_**Sorry, my love**_

_**Secrets I must keep**_

_**Remember this is between you and me**_

_**-WR**_

Manny pressed send and then dig a little jig.

**a/n: I know, it's kind of stupid, but I just had to put in the whole jig thing somewhere.**


	3. The 'net is so Distracting

**Just Between You and Me**

Paige: Gimme a **S**!!!!

All: S, we got that spirit, that spirit!!!!

Paige: Gimme a **P**!!!

All: P, we got that punch, that punch!

Paige: Gimme an **I **!!!!!

All: I, we got that itchy motivation!!!!!!

Paige: Gimme a **R**!!!!!!

All: R, we got that, respect!!!!!

Paige: Gimme an **I** !!!!!

All: I, we got that itchy motivation!!!

Paige: Gimme a **T**!!!!!!!

All: T, because we're totally the best!!!!

All: Go panthers!!!!!!!

Manny finished the cheer with a toe-touch.

"Paige, that was _torture_! It's like a billion degrees out!!!" She complained. Paige rolled her eyes.

"Here," She handed Manny a bottle of water. "Now stop acting like such a baby, Manny, besides, you need to work off a few of those pounds." Manny ignored Paige's comment and looked around. A few feet away she saw a figure walking across the field, with a camera around his neck. _Craig!_

"I am so over. I'll see you Friday, Paige." With that Manny rushed off near Craig. _Act like you don't notice him. Wait for him to say hi, act cool, act mature, don't mention being WiltedRose._

"Manny, hey!" Manny turned her head to find Craig running towards her.

_Mature, mature, mature. _She chanted to herself.

"Hey Craig, what's up?"

"Nothing, I just, wanted to say, hi."

"Oh, hi. I got your email by the way."

Don't mention the Internet! Especially email!

"Oh, yeah. Um, are you okay?"

"What? Okay, yeah. We're friends, right?" Before he could answer she ran towards the school and to the locker room.

"Hey, mom." Manny said cheerfully entering the kitchen to find her mother flipping through one of her cookbooks.

"Hey, baby, how was practice?"

"All right, it was super hot though, so I quit early."

"Good, I don't want my Manuella passing out because of the heat. Now, go wash you hands, you can help me with dinner."

"Yes, mom." Even helping her mother with dinner couldn't dampen her mood. She'd talked to Craig, not as WiltedRose, but as herself! And she hadn't acted immature!

Her room was right across the hall from the bathroom. _Checking my email won't take too long. Mom can wait. _She logged onto her Smileygurl account**. 2 new messages**

**Sparklespaz- Hey best friend**

**Advertisement- Love put a spell on you?**

Manny clicked on Emma's email.

_Manny,_

_Hey, I know you probably don't want to talk to me right now, but I really miss having you around. You've been my best friend for like ever, and I really want to know what's up. _

_Emma_

You can't ignore your best friend forever. She thought clicking the reply button.

_Em,_

_Hey Emma. I'm sorry about how I've been acting. Listen, I hope you're online right now. If you can, meet me tomorrow at my locker around 7:30. I know you're an early bird, so this won't be too hard 4 u. See ya!_

_Manny_

She reread her message then sent it.

"Manuella Santos! You've been up there for twenty minutes! Get down here and help me with dinner!"

"Oops!" Manny signed off and went downstairs.

[x]

"Emma!" Manny walked quickly to her locker to find her best friend waiting impatiently next to it.

"You're 6 minutes late."

"Only, six minutes. So, what's up?"

"Nothing, but I'd like to know what's up with you?" Manny sighed.

"I know, I've been acting kinda distant lately, and I'm really sorry, it's just, Craig really hurt me, and pushing everybody I cared for out of my life for a while helped me deal. I'm really sorry for hurting you. Best friends?"

"Like I'd ever find a better one. Come on, let's got to the school store, they just got some new pens in with a different endangered animal on them. I was checking on the Internet last night, I found this site on...."

Manny tuned out. _Everything's back to normal. Kind of._


	4. A Small Upgrade

**Just Between You and Me**

_WiltedRose,_

_You've been emailing me for two weeks. I just want to know who you are. I know you say you can't tell me, but please, I really just wanna know you're name. Or how you look. Just give me a hint._

_Craig_

Manny rolled her eyes. Craig had been practically begging her to tell

him what her name was.

_**OverXposed,**_

_**Roses are red**_

_**My toenails are blue**_

_**You already know this**_

_**But I like you**_

_**I've told you once**_

_**I've told you twice**_

_**I can't tell you my name**_

_**I'm tired of being nice**_

_**Midnight black**_

_**Is the color of my hair**_

_**Don't ask for my name again**_

_**Please I swear**_

_**I'll tell you in time**_

_**Just wait and see**_

_**But for now**_

_**Let's just keep this between you and me**_

_**-WR**_

Manny reread her awesome email and pressed send. She looked at theclock in her room.

"7:45! I'm gonna be late!" She rushed downstairs and out the door. She could hear her mother yelling at her, but she didn't care, she couldn't be late again!

Manny was super lucky that her school wasn't that far from her house. She entered the building and ran up the hall to Ms. Kwan's classroom. Ms. Kwan was waiting for her at the door.

"Ms. Kwan, I'm _so_ sorry. I lost track of time at breakfast and"

"Ms. Santos, calm down, you're not late. In fact, you're 10 minutes early. I was just waiting for you. I need to have a little chat with you, privately." She took Manny by the shoulder and walked away from the classroom door.

"Manny, your test grades are amazing. You've never gotten anything lower than an A- in my class. And the poem you gave me was wonderful. I've talked it over with Mr. Raditch, and I've showed him your test scores and poem, and he agrees that you should try my grade 10 class for a couple of weeks." Manny stood opened-mouthed, shock at what Ms. Kwan had just told her.

"I always thought my grades were okay in your class, but good enough to actually upgrade me?"

"Just in English. You have true talent, and I want to see how you would manage in my grade 10 English."

"That is _sooo_ cool! What time should I be here?"

"We've switched your study period and English." Manny nodded and skipped down the hallway to the library.

_Don't be nervous, you know a lot of people in grade 10. Paige, and _

_Hazel, and Craig! Calm down!_ Manny stood in the doorway of Ms. Kwan's classroom. Most of the students were already sitting down.

"Ms. Santos, nice to see you. Come in." Ms. Kwan said. Manny nodded

nervously and walked to the front of the classroom.

"Students, this is Ms. Santos, from grade nine. Her excellent test scores has gotten her upgraded to 10th grade English for a short period of time to see how well she'd do. I want you to all be civil to her. You can sit behind Mr. Manning." Manny took a deep breath and walked towards Craig.

_Calm down, calm down, calm down._

"So, you're in grade 10 English!! That is so cool!" Emma squealed at lunch.

"Just for a little while. It is cool though; I could have sworn Ms. Kwan was going to give me a detention for being late, but she told me I had amazing test scores!"

"How do you get upgraded, when I'm positively the smartest student at Degrassi Community School?" Liberty asked.

"Stop being jealous Liberty, Manny just has a way with words." Liberty rolled her eyes.

"I'd like to see how great she is in English." Liberty muttered.

"Shut-up, Liberty, don't be such a bit--"

"Hey, Manny." Manny stopped mid-sentence to find Craig Manning standing next to her.

"Uh, hi Craig."

"Hey, could I talk to you for a moment." She nodded. She followed Craig a couple of tables away.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Well, I never knew how good you were in English. But, I was wondering if you could help me out. I've been talking to this girl online, and she keeps emailing me in... well poems, I was wondering if you could translate."

Manny thought for a moment. _Translate my own poems...well, it wouldn't be difficult._

"Okay, I'll try, do you have one?" She asked. _Like I don't already know what they say. _

"Yeah, more like all. I love the way she writes, I just wish she'd tell me her name." He gave her one of the emails.

" _The way your hair bounces when you walk_

_That cute little way you talk_

_Don't be scared, I'm not trying to stalk_

I'll tell you who I might be 

_But for now let's keep this between you and me._ Deep."

"How did you do that?" Craig asked.

"Do what?"

"You like memorized the poem. You weren't even looking at the paper." _Oops, stupid mistake, stupid, stupid, mistake!_

"Oh, I read fast. Well, gotta go, my lunch is getting cold." Manny gave Craig his email back and ran back to her table. Craig scratched his head.

"But, she was eating a sandwich."


	5. So Familiar

**Just Between You and Me**

Manny clicked around on the Internet. _Boring, boring, boring._

"Manuella Santos! Company!" Manny smiled.

_Finally, I wonder who's here?_ She rushed downstairs and got the surprise of her life. Craig Manning, and...her dad standing next to each other uncomfortably.

"Hey, Manny." Manny waved shyly. She looked over at her dad. He looked angry.

"Papi, this is Craig Manning, a friend from school, Craig this is my father." Craig stuck out his hand to shake, but Mr. Santos looked at it like it was some out of the ordinary object.

"Manuella, you are not aloud to invite boys to you're house without either me or your mother's permission."

"No, sir, Manny didn't invite me, I...came over myself."

"Are you _following _my daughter?" Mr. Santos asked angrily.

"No, no, I just had to ask her something."

"Manuella isn't allowed to date."

"But we"

"Papi," Manny had to butt in before Craig told her father that she went out with him last year.

"Craig probably just wants to ask me a question about our _English _assignment, right, Craig?" Craig nodded nervously. Mr. Santos' expression softened.

"Oh, I'm sorry, she's my youngest daughter, I just like to watch out for her."

"And you _do_. Craig and I will just be on the porch, okay?" Mr. Santos nodded.

"You almost got me into _major_ trouble!" Manny said sharply.

"How was I supposed to know you weren't aloud to date, you never told me."

"Oh, yeah, well, anyway, why'd are you here?"

"I--I'm not sure. Listen, Manny, I'm going to the movies this weekend, with Ashley, Ellie, Spinner, and Paige. I was wondering if you, Emma, and Sean would like to come."

"Oh, well, I can make it, but I'll ask Emma and Sean if they want to come."

"Okay, cool, well, see ya." Craig said getting up. Manny followed suit.

"Yeah, okay, see ya." Craig nodded and walked down the street, not knowing Manny was watching his every move.

[x]

"_Please_, Emma, it'll be fun!"

"I don't know Manny. Sean, might not wanna do it."

"Do what?" Sean asked from behind them.

"Sean, could you do your girlfriend's best friend a favor?"

"I guess, what?"

"Go to the movies with me, Craig, Ashley, Ellie, Paige, and Spinner."

"Whatever." Manny squealed.

"Really? Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

[x]

"Ms. Santos, would you mind reading one of your poems to the class?" Ms. Kwan asked. Manny nodded.

" A few weeks ago, I asked the ninth grade class to write a poem about a simple object. A computer, a TV, a phone, I wanted them to make it unique. And show how you appreciate it. Ms. Santos chose to write about fans." Manny took a deep breath. It wasn't one of her best poems, but apparently Ms. Kwan thought it was amazing. She opened her notebook and found the poem called The Fan.

" 1, 2, 3, 4 arms

Swinging in rhythm

On a stand

Or on the ceiling

When it's hot

You make it cool

That's why I wrote this poem

To say thank-you." Manny quickly went back to her seat._ That was such a stupid poem._

"Wonderful! Brilliant!" Ms Kwan went on praising Manny's work, the class, on Ms. Kwan's command encouraged Manny's poem, everyone but Craig.

_Her writing, it seems so...familiar_. He thought.

[x]

"What am I gonna _wear_?" Manny asked herself while going through her messy closet.She said holding a black t-shirt that said 'Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.'

"Jeans...please say I have a clean pair of jeans!" She said looking in her drawer.

"Yes!" She'd found a pair of dark denim jeans.

"Perfect! Now, I'll just check my email, and then, off to Em's!"

"Hmm...this is kinda cute."


	6. Just the Highlighted Parts

**Just Between You and Me**

Manny logged onto her WiltedRose account. **3 new messages**

**OverXposed- Hey**

**Advertisement- Buy 5 CD's get 10 half off!**

**Advertisement- Are you bald? Want hair?**

Manny clicked on Craig's email.

_WR,_

_Hey, it's Craig. I just wanted to tell you that I really like the poems you write me. If you aren't busy tonight maybe you could hang out with me and my friends at the mall. We'll be at the movies; I'm wearing a gray t-shirt, and black jeans. I know, it's Thursday, but please, try and come._

_-Craig_

Manny rolled her eyes. He was hopeless.

_**OverXposed,**_

_**Your intentions are good**_

_**And kind**_

_**And sweet**_

_**But I'm sorry**_

_**We cannot meet**_

_**Not now, not now**_

_**But sometime soon**_

_**Just wait and see**_

_**But for now**_

_**Let's just keep this between you and me**_

_**- WR**_

Manny pressed send, and signed off.

[x]

"Do you see them?" Manny asked Emma and Sean.

"Nope, maybe they went in without us."

"They wouldn't do that." Emma disagreed.

"There they are, come on." The trio met up with Craig, Ashley, Ellie, Spinner, and Paige.

"So, what movie are we seeing?" Paige asked.

"I was thinking my favorite movie..."

"Oh no." Sean muttered.

"What's you favorite movie?" Ashley asked.

"Return of the Dead, and Return of the Dead2!" Craig said happily.

"Didn't they just make another one of those low budget movies?" Emma asked.

"Yep, Return of the Dead3! Come on!" Reluctantly, the rest of the group followed Craig.

[x]

'_Bernardo! Bernardo! Where are you????!!!!'_

_'Hush Fiona! The power has just gone out. Stay perfectly still. They might be here. Stay here I'm going to go look for a phone.'_

_'No, not again! They took Katherine, but they aren't taking me!'_

_'Fiona please. I don't want you to get hurt.'_

_'Then take me with you because leaving here alone. I'll die!'_

_'Hush! I hear footsteps! '(glass breaks, a woman screams)_

"Ahh!" Emma yelled covering her eyes.

"Em, calm down." Manny whispered.

[x]

After the movie Emma and Sean left together, Ashley and Ellie decided to look in Hot Topic, and Paige dragged Spinner to her favorite shoe store. _OMG! I'm left with Craig...at the mall...again._

"Um, do you want me to walk you home?" Craig asked Manny. She nodded and well...they left.

They walked in silence. Manny nervously kept looking down at her feet.

" Manny? About those emails..."

"What about them?" She asked quickly.

"Here, sit down." Craig said motioning to a bench. Manny sat.

"Read this." He said giving her a piece of paper.

"It's like dark out, I can't see what it says." Manny answered nervously. _Why does he want me to read it? _

"Here's my keys, there's a mini-flashlight on it." Manny sighed grabbing Craig's keys and turned on the mini-flashlight.

"I've gotten your attention--" Manny began

"No, no, just the highlighted parts."

"_Okay._ And, maybe I'm in grade nine

My name is different

My name is unique. What about it?"

Craig shook his head. He took the paper and began to walk away.

"I thought you were going to walk me home?" Manny asked.

"Your house is right across the street." Craig answered without turning

back. _How do you not know where you live, Manny?_

**A/n: Return of the Dead 1, 2, and now 3, is Craig's favorite movie in like all my stories!!!! My stories and mine alone. Anyway, thanks 4 all the sweet reviews I know I'm going to get! (hint hint)**


	7. Between You and Me

**Just Between You and Me**

The next morning Manny woke up bright an early. She was in such a good mood. It was Friday! The weekend was practically here!_ I'm gonna make breakfast_. She thought cheerfully, as she took her shower, brushed her teeth, got dressed, and went downstairs. It was 6:45. And no one was up but her.

_"Even if heaven and earth collide tonight_

_We'll be all alone in a different light_

_I don't care what the world can see_

_Because it's just between you and me _

_If we don't work this out we won't recover_

_We'll lose this soulful love for one another_

_But with all I've heard and all I seen_

_I'm still lost in your mystery."_ She sung, while stirring the pancake batter.

"Shut-up." Called her older brother Keith, who was coming down the stairs covering his ears.

"My singing is not _that_ bad."

"I see my baby sister's been bit by the love bug!" He teased taking out the orange juice and drinking from the container.

"That's disgusting you know that? We do have a thing called a drinking glass." He ignored her.

"Can you drive me to school today?"

"No."

"Why? We go to the same one. I'm tired of walking."

"I don't care."

"I'll tell Mama."

"Fine, but you're finding your own way home."

"Jerk." Manny muttered as Keith went to get dressed.

"I heard that!" He called from the stairs.

[x]

"Anything interesting happen in English, Miss Poetry?" Liberty asked coldly at lunch.

"No, not much, too bad you couldn't be there to see what was going on." Manny retorted.

"Manny!" Craig called from a few tables away, he was sitting with Ashley, Ellie, and Marco.

"I'll be right back." She told Emma.

"Hey, Craig, Ashley, Ellie, Marco, what's up?" She asked. They mumbled about nothing.

"Uh, Manny, could you meet me by my locker after school?" Ashley gave Craig a surprise look and then glared at Manny. Manny who was a little surprised herself nodded.

[x]

It was 3:01. Craig waited by his locker.

_'Where could she be?'_ He wondered.

It's 3:03 and Manny was in the girl's bathroom checking her make-up. _Okay, come on Manny, you're late!_ She scolded herself. She hurried to Craig's locker.

"I thought you weren't going to come." He said.

"Sorry, I got side-tracked. So, did you want to tell me something?"

"Oh yeah. I finally figured out who's been emailing me." Silence.

_Uh oh, what do I say? Sorry? Wait, he didn't say it was me, why are you worried? He knows, you know he knows, but how could he, I never told him..._

"Craig, I--" Craig shook his head.

"It's okay Manny. Let's just keep this between you and me."

**The End.**

**a/n: This really is an old story of mine I wrote when I was like 12 or 13 which is why awesome is use a couple of times. Scary. I just wanted to fix a few things. When I story is dedicated to an ex boyfriend you know it's time to edit. lol. Well I hope y'all liked this lil piece of ancient history. (not really)**

**r & r always,**

**Britany**


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